Debt collectors and district attorneys are teaming up to bully bad-check writers into paying their debt, including a California woman who bounced a $48 check to Walmart and was threatened with jail time.

In a practice that has spread to more than 300 prosecutors' offices, collection companies are sending signed letters on D.A. letterhead that threaten jail time unless the check writers settle up and pay for a "financial accountability" class, reported the New York Times.

Even petty amounts owed can invite harsh treatment. Single mom Angela Yartz told the paper she was unaware that a $47.95 check she had written to Walmart had bounced. She later received a letter signed by the Alameda County (Calif.) district attorney that she better fork over $280.05 or face up to a year behind bars.

Intimidation tactics are nothing new on the bill collection front, of course. Even hospitals are accused of using them. The University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis is now being probed for allegedly harassing very sick patients into paying up or risk losing medical care.

Debt collection is a $12 billion-a-year business, and 30 million people are now in the cross-hairs of bill collectors, reported the Los Angeles Times. So it should be no surprise that firms are stepping up their strong-arm tactics.

Last year, the Federal Trade Commission received 180,928 complaints about the debt recovery biz, the LAT said.

In the arrangement between debt collectors and district attorneys, the agencies secure their share plus the class fee and the district attorneys get paid by the agencies or receive a share of the money collected, reported the Times.

Above the Law pointed out the potential conundrum of threatening someone with imprisonment on prosecutor letterhead before a lawyer has even considered the case. District attorneys explained to the Times that the letters reduce their caseload, and that only those who ignore merchant warnings are contacted.

Yartz, the Walmart customer, noticed that part of her jacked-up settlement bill from the D.A. included $180 for the budgeting class. The Times said she eventually paid $100.05 to cover the bounced check and penalties, and took her chances with the rest.

Also on HuffPost:

Close



Nightmares That Involve Walmart

of





A Walmart in Florida complained to police of a "flash mob situation" after a school choir sang "God Bless America" in memorial of the Septemeber 11th, 2001 attacks, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

Julian R. Call, 22, and Tina F. Gianakon, 35, were arrested for engaging in sexual activity in front of fellow shoppers at a Kansas Walmart after stealing K-Y Jelly.

Netherlands' biggest pension fund -- it holds over $300 billion in assets -- pulled its investments from Walmart for not abiding with the United Nations' Global Compact principles, which relate to human rights, labor standards, the environment and anti-corruption efforts.

When Walmart senior executives found out that Walmart de Mexico had allegedly been involved in a bribery campaign to open new stores, they then allegedly covered it up.

A Mormon assistant manager at Walmart, who had been observing the Sabbath as an employee for more than ten years, faced disciplinary action after a change in their scheduling rules no longer accommodated his observance.

Jose Marcos Picazo suspiciously died after Walmart security guards in California arrested him for alleged shoplifting.

Walmart was involved in a lobbying campaign to weaken the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which was meant to reduce liability for bribing foreign officials.

Walmart has been involved in a number of ongoing lawsuits for discrimination against female employees. Some of the allegations have included derogatory language at the workplace, unfair promotion practices and pay discrimination.

A woman wanted cheap Black Friday deals on Walmart electronics so badly that she used pepper spray on a crowd at a Los Angeles Walmart. Twenty people were injured.

Warehouse workers in California sued a contractor that works with Walmart for labor law violations, including poor labor conditions, shortchanging pay and threatening to fire them for complaining about anything.

New York City public advocate Bill de Blasio recently launched 6degreesofwalmart.com to expose Walmart secret political spending, meant to influence the political process in a number of ways, including reducing protection for workers, whistleblowers and the environment.

A Walmart employee at a distribution center in Virginia shot and wounded his female supervisor right before he killed himself.